These Men Deserve Better

I am truly a blessed man, although I tend to forget it like we all do from time to time. Not only do I get to love what I do for a vocation, I am blessed with my wife who is still as beautiful, and wonderful 29 years later as she was at 18 (I’m going to get major brownie points for this column!) I am also blessed at the age of 51 to still have both my parents who are still young healthy and vibrant and we enjoy a very close relationship. My dad was always my idol growing up, although I had heroes in sports and in politics my dad was always the man I aspired to become. My father to this day has a commanding presence, and can charm the birds from the trees. I have been told by many of my peers, that I am the “king  of schmoozing” I always chuckle to myself I’m just an apprentice compared to my father. My dad also happens to be my biggest fan and booster, which is a pretty humbling experience, when the person you have always idolized becomes your biggest fan. 

The reason that I am writing about this at the beginning of this feature, is that it was an e-mail from my father that inspired this article. My Dad watched the NBC Nightly News on Friday July 13, and saw a piece that the newscast had done on  Mike Ditka testifying before Congress that day.  Ditka spoke to Congress about the shameful situation that many former NFL players are enduring. It intrigued my dad and he asked me if I had any opinion on the issue. please allow me to share with you part of my response; “Those guys have gotten a totally raw deal. They basically set the ground work for today’s over paid in many cases NFL players of today, and did it for what really was just a working man’s wage not the big money! They basically have been victimized by the system, their pension plan is non existent, Gene Upshaw who is the head of the players union has said repeatedly that his constituency is today’s players not the retired players. These men who looked like Greek Gods in their day, are now crippled husks of their former selves, many of them suffering from dementia because of one too many blows to the head. And if it was not for guys like Ditka, and Butkus, guys who were lucky enough to get money later on in their careers, and still have enough cache to get the ear of the American Public, these poor men would have no voice what so ever. I feel it is the duty of the league and the players union to make sure that these pioneers can live out there “Golden Years” with the comfort and dignity they deserve!”

I had not seen the piece when I sent my father that e-mail nor had I heard any reports of Ditka’s testimony. However on Saturday I went to MSNBC.com and watched the video. Ditka’s testimony and NBC News anchor Brian Williams’ wrap was a verification of the text I had written to my father. Also on the site was an interview with a man that I remember playing as if it were yesterday, former Houston Oilers running back and NFL Hall of Fame player Earl Campbell. Campbell was the prototype of the big strong running backs of the mid 1970’s onward, massive but athletic. Campbell had the strength to cut through a line like a Mack truck, and the athletic ability to turn on a dime. Campbell is now 52 years old one year older than me, he walks with the care of a walker. Sometimes he is reduced to being in a wheelchair, according to the article the arthritis in his hands that gets so bad  that he has problems opening a candy bar. This from a man who was one of the greatest athletes I ever witnessed, at the age of 52 to be reduced to this is one of life’s cruelest ironies.

Thankfully Campbell still has all his mental faculties, and he is doing fine financially. However he is truly distraught about the way other former players are being left to fend for themselves. Campbell says that NFLPA Union President Gene Upshaw should be ashamed of himself, and this reporter whole heartedly agrees. These men deserve better, as I said to my dad if not for these pioneers, the league and the current crop of players would not enjoy what they have now. This deplorable situation must be rectified, and hopefully the league and the players step up to the line and do the right thing. The league and Sports in general will regret it if Congress has to rectify the situation. It will open up a Pandora’s Box that is the subject of a whole other article.

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